A Benton Township man was able to spend Christmas with his family after his $300,000 cash or surety bond was reduced to $50,000 in connection with serious injuries inflicted upon a 1-year-old child.

Sean Paul Bauers, 23, has been released on bond, jail officials confirmed Monday. Bauers stood mute Dec. 18 to a charge of first-degree child abuse — punishable upon conviction by life in prison or any term of years. He is also punishable as a second-offense habitual offender.

Bauers had earlier waived a preliminary examination in 89th District Court and was segregated from other inmates in the Cheboygan County Jail for his own safety.

One-year-old Harlow Cole remains in a Grand Rapids rehabilitation facility and is expected to be a patient there for at least another month, family friends say.

Michigan State Police say they were called to the emergency room of McLaren Northern Michigan hospital at Cheboygan on Oct. 31 to investigate a complaint of suspected child abuse.

Alyssa Armbruster, 19, had brought in her 1-year-old son, Harlow Cole, for treatment on his first birthday after he was lethargic and barely awake following an extended sleep period that began in the late afternoon the day before.

Police say that Bauers had been caring for the child.

A court affidavit states Baby Harlow was examined by Dr. Thomas Charlton, who told police the child sustained numerous injuries that included trauma to the brain, spinal hemorrhaging, two fractured ribs and abusive bruising to the right side of the face, the left neck, the right chest and both sides of the back.

In addition, a red area on the child’s back near the neck appeared to be a type of rug-burn.

After being transferred to McLaren’s Petoskey Campus, the child was then airlifted to Devos Children’s Hospital in Grand Rapids, Mich. The injuries were “not accidental trauma,” in the physician’s opinion.

Police say that Bauers admitted to shaking the baby “a handful of times,” the affidavit states, including an episode of Oct. 29. Armbruster offered no opinion to police as to how the boy was injured, noting only that “he bruises easily.”

Jury selection has been set for Feb. 12, with five days reserved for trial.